Govt set to table Kelkar report, debate put off for next session

NAGPUR: The much-awaited report of economist and former chairman of finance commission Vijay Kelkar may now be tabled in both the Houses of state legislature either on Tuesday or Wednesday just before the session concludes. There is little likelihood of any debate or detailed discussion on it being allowed. This is part of the BJP-headed government’s floor strategy and not because of reluctance to the report’s contents.
Reliable sources in the government said the matter has already been discussed with the Opposition party group leaders and they have agreed for debate on the Kelkar report in the next session of legislature in March. “We are not against the debate on it, but there may not be enough time for it now. The report runs into several hundreds of pages and it may not be possible for the members to study it carefully for any meaningful debate,” said finance minister Sudhir Mugantiwar, adding “We will take it up in March.”
As a bargain, the Opposition would be allowed a special session-concluding debate on Mumbai, especially relating to the committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speedy development of the state capital. On Monday, the Opposition went through the motions of raking up that issue in the Assembly and even staged a walkout as the government did not respond. The Opposition is seeing the committee set up by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as violation of state’s powers and against federalism.
Apparently, soon after it took over the reins on October 31, the BJP government got the Kelkar report out from the closet and had it dusted and even vetted through a presentation in a Cabinet meeting in Mumbai just before coming to the Nagpur session. Fadnavis as well as several of his ministerial colleagues have said publicly that tabling Kelkar report was a priority. But then after a package for Vidarbha already announced earlier in this session by Fadnavis besides the drought relief package, the government revised its strategy to utilize the Kelkar report’s likely positive spin-off, political and otherwise, for the next session. Any serious debate on it would have meant impact on the next state budget preparations for which work will begin after a week. By deferring the debate to March, the government will get more time.
The committee was appointed by the previous government headed by Prithviraj Chavan in May 2011 to study the latest status of regional imbalance and suggest fresh approach to address the issue. After several extensions, the committee finally submitted its report to the governor in October last year. But the Chavan government did not table the report apparently fearing it would disturb its relations with the then ruling partner NCP. This is because, as Chavan himself once admitted, the report had suggested out of the box measures to remove the chronic problems of underdevelopment in regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada — the two regions where the NCP has little political presence.
Peeved by the decision to table the Kelkar report at the fag end and not allowing any debate, deputy leader of the Congress in Assembly, MLA Vijay Wadettiwar slammed the government for what he termed as “running away from a crucial responsibility.” He has already been denied a chance to raise Vidarbha issues as the private member Bill he wanted to table was deferred in a tricky fashion just hours before it was to be tabled. “Now, any debate on Kelkar report would be possible only in March,” said a dejected Wadettiwar.